Lubricating means for journal boxes



Oct. 12, 1954 J. A. ANDREWS LUBRICATING MEANS FOR JOURNAL BOXES 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed April 25, 1951 INVENTOR Joseph AAndreu/S.

A XTIORNEY Oct. 12, 1954- J. A. ANDREWS LUBRICATING MEANS FOR JOURNAL BOXES Filed April 25, 1951 V 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR Joseph A.Andrew.s.

ATTORNEY Oct. 12, 1954 J, ANDREWS 2,691,555

LUBRICATING MEANS FOR JOURNAL BOXES Filed April 25, 1951 4'Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTOR Joseph A. Andrews.

BY I I) ATTORNEY- Oct. 12, 1954 ANDREWS 2,691,555

LUBRICATING MEANS FOR JOURNAL BOXES Filed April 25. 1951 4 Sheets-Shee t 4 Ftc j. 10.

i i it i I I u u INVENTOR F p A Jog'bhA.Andrews.

BY k ATTORNEY Patented Oct. 12, 1954 LUBRICATJNG S FOR JOURNAL BOXES Joseph A. Andrews, Lafayette, Ind., assignor to Poor 8; *Company, Chicago, 111., a corporation of Delaware Application April .25, 1951, Serial No. 222,799

12 Claims. 1

This invention relates tolubric'ating means for journal boxes and the like, and more particularly to a unit including a vertically laminated sponge rubber construction intended to supply oil to the axle journal from the oil reservoir of the box.

While it has heretofore been proposed to use sponge rubber to supply lubricant to the axle journal, nevertheless cotton or wool waste have been universally used for this purpose. However, as well known, lint from the Waste has always been the cause of so-called hot boxes when it obstructs the flow of oil between the journal and the brass, and, moreover, proper maintenance conditions require the waste to be periodically cleaned or replaced by fresh material. Either or both of these operations are 'costly from a maintenance standpoint. The proposals for the use of sponge rubber have taken the form of solid blocks or cakes of this material held in frames or cages. This practice has the disadvantagethat, although the great majority of axle journals and journal boxes are of standard size, and blocks and frames can be made for such standard use, nevertheless this type of unit cannot fit any but standard sizes so that special molds are required to make such special sizes. Moreover, in cases where repairs are required, the entire block must be replaced. This practice has its practical limitations.

Accordingly, a primary object of this invention is to provide a lubricant feeding unit made up of several elements which may be prefabricated for assembly, or selected and assembled in situ, to meet required specifications. That is'to say, the sponge rubber portion of the unit may be made from sheet stock in the respect that it may be cut or molded into comparatively small slabs or sections of uniform thickness and shape and assembled vertically in laminated form to suitany journal or journal box, said slabs being held between filler blocks, also preferably of hard rubber, whose external surfaces are molded to fit the contour of the front and rear portions of the box, thus providing a unit which maybe built up and installed to meet any desired specification from preformed stock slabs or sections and filler blocks. These features have the advantage that if repairs or replacements are required, it is only necessary to replace a comparatively small part of the unit, while at the same time the manufacturing procedures are simplified.

A further object is to provide a lubricating unit having the filler blocks and an intermediate laminated section wherein the slabs or sections forming the laminated section'have mating 'interfitting parts to assure proper alignment during assembly and likewise tohold all of the slabs in-alignment during use. That is to say, the slabs may be bodily formed with interfitting portions, or encased in interlocking shields, or they may be held by a carrier or a support in a manner not to shift sidewise during-assembly or use.

With the above and'other objects in view which will more readily appear as the nature of the invention is better understood, the same consists in the novel construction, combination, and arrangement of parts, hereinafter more fully described, illustrated and claimed.

A preferred and practical embodiment of the invention is shown in the accompanying "drawings, in which:

Figure l is a vertical sectional view of one form of the invention.

Figure 2 is a horizontal sect-ion taken on the line 22 of Figure '1.

Figure 3 is a perspective view of a pair of the sponge rubber oil feeding slabs.

Figure 4 is a vertical longitudinal sectional view illustrating another form of the invention wherein the slabs are embraced by metal clips.

Figure 5 is a vertical sectional view taken on the line 55 of Figure 4.

Figure 6 is a perspective view of the sponge rubber slab element shown in Figures 4 and 5.

Figure 7 is a longitudinal sectional view of a further embodiment of the invention.

Figure '8 is a vertical sectional view taken on the line "8--8 of Figure 7.

Figure 9 is a perspective view of one of the slabs shown in Figures 7 and 8 and a part of the carrier therefor.

Figure '10 is .a vertical longitudinal sectional view of a still further embodiment of the invention.

Figure 11 is a verticalsectional view taken on the line Hll of Figure '10.

Figure 12 is a perspective view of part of the lubricating unit shown inFigures l0 and 11.

Similar reference characters designate corresponding parts throughout the several "figures of the drawings.

In carrying out the present invention, it is in-. tended to use any appropriate syntheticsponge rubber not affected by lubricating oils. Likewise, the .filler members which "are molded to fit the contour of the front and rear of thefboxes .to

clamp the sponge rubber oil .feeding, section or front and rear filler members A and B, respectively, intended to rest in the front and rear of the journal box, and an intermediate sponge rubber section C comprising a plurality of sponge rubber oil feeding elements or slabs D.

Referring first to Figure 1, it will be seen that the filler members A and B are formed of hard rubber to fit the contour of the adjacent faces of the journal box. The inner or facing sides I of each block are preferably substantially fiat to clamp the sponge rubber elements D therebetween. It will, of course, be understood that the filler members A and B and the lower portion of the slabs or sections D are immersed in the oil reservoir of the journal box and that oil is fed to the car axle E by capillary action since the upper ends of the slabs D are intended to peripherally contact the lower portion of the axle journal E within the area of the superimposed brass or bearing usually used in a journal box.

The individual slabs or sections D are provided on one side with a vertical groove 2 and a vertical rib 3 for mating with corresponding parts of adjacent units, the ribs and grooves preventing relative sidewise shifting of the slabs during assembly and in use. It will also be seen that the slabs D are provided at each end with the vertical ribs 4 which contact the side walls of the journal box.

According to this form of the invention, the filler members A and B with the slabs or sections D therebetween are assembled to meet the desired specifications, and, because of the flexibility of the entire unit the same may be placed in the bottom of a journal box so that the upper curved portions 5 of each slab unit snugly contact the lower periphery of the car journal E.

The same general characteristics above described are carried out in Figures 4 to 6, inclusive. In this embodiment, the sponge rubber slabs or oil feeding members D are partially embraced by a metal clip or case 6. This clip or case is made of relatively thin gauge and in substantially U- shaped form to fit over the bottom end of each slab unit and terminate below the portion of the slab which contacts the car journal E. The metal clips or case members 6 are provided on opposite sides with struck-out keeper elements 1 and indented socket portions 8, or their equivalent, respectively, so that when the slabs are assembled between the filler blocks A and B to provide the intermediate sponge rubber section 0, the upper portions of the sponge rubber slabs will be spaced apart as indicated to provide channels 9 which will permit sediment to escape and flow away from the axle journal E. As will be seen from Figure 5, the oil feeding elements D are also provided at their upper ends with lateral projections l0 adapted to engage the inner faces of the side walls of the journal box to further assist in holding the units D in proper alignment. The axle contacting edge of each slab is also provided with a diagonally disposed sediment drainin groove 10 leading to channels 9.

According to the construction shown in Figures '7 to 9, inclusive, the intermediate oil feeding element C held between the front and rear filler blocks A and B includes a section carrier element G for the oil feeding sections or slabs or elements D. As will be observed from the figures now referred to, each of the slabs D is provided with a medial downwardly opening slot ll adapted to receive the upstanding rib I2 of said carrier or support. This carrier supports or cradles the slabs D and is preferably made of hard rubber. Its bottom wall portion is transversely curved in the form of flanges H! which adjust themselves to the contour of the bottom wall of the box and partially embrace the lower curved ends of the sections or slabs D. The rib 12 extends into the slot H and holds all of the units D in proper alignment and in side by side relationship. According to this embodiment, the aligning and mounting the section carrier G has its upstanding rib portion l2 of greater length than the intermediate sponge rubber section C to enter the vertical slots l2 formed in the inner sides of the filler member A and B. The flanges l3 preferably terminate short of the ends of the rib I2 and are flush with and abut against the inner sides I of the filler blocks A and B and thus interlock the entire structure and place the sponge rubber slabs D under controlled compression in the respect that the filler blocks A and 13 cannot move inwardly because of the abutting engagement of the flanges l3 therewith.

According to the arrangement shown in Figures 10 and 11, the filler blocks A and B support a carrier element G' intended to hold the sponge rubber slabs D in spaced relation, as shown in Figure 10. The carrier G is preferably made of hard rubber and of transversely arcuate formation to rest in the depressed portions M of the filler blocks A and B. The sponge rubber slabs D are inserted through slots 15 in the section carrier and preferably have vulcanized to their top edge portions an elongated axle journal contacting pad l6 which, as shown in Figure 12, extends continuously across the tops of the slabs D. This pad l6, together with the slabs D provide oil supplying means for the axle journal. The extended end portions of the carrier G which rest in the depressions 14 in the filler blocks serve to hold the carrier and sponge rubber pad it firmly against the lower periphery of the journal. While as previously stated, the carrier G is preferably made of hard rubber, stamped metal may be used.

From the foregoing, it will be seen that the several constructions illustrated herein carry out the intended objects of the invention in the re spect that the present lubricant feeding comprises the filler blocks A and E and an inter mediate sponge rubber oil feeding element C, or its equivalent, wherein the filler blocks act to confine, and according to some forms of the in vention assist in support'mg the sponge rubber sections or slabs in a manner to assure proper assembly relative to the axle throughout the life of the device in service. At the same time, the various forms of the sponge rubber sections D make it possible to make lubricating units of different longitudinal length to permit a fuli range of use of the invention in the respect that the units may be fabricated to suit axle journals of different length or bearing area.

Without further description, it is thought that the features and advantages of this invention will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art, and it will, of course, be understood that changes may be resorted to within the scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A lubricant feeding unit for the portion of a car axle mounted in a journal box, oomprim ing, in combination, front and rear filler mom bers having their journal box contacting faces molded to fit the adjacent walls of the journal box and having inner abutment faces, and a laminated sponge rubber intermediate section held between the abutment faces of the filler members, said laminated section adapted to rest in the lubricant reservoir of the journal box and having its upper end contoured to fit the lower periphery of said axle and contact therewith.

2. A lubricant feeding unit for the portion of a car axle mounted in a journal box, comprising, in combination, front and rear filler members having their journal box contacting faces molded to fit the adjacent walls of the journal box and having inwardly facing abutment sides, and an intermediate sponge rubber oil feeding section comprising a plurality of individual sponge rubber oil feeding slabs having their lower ends disposed in the oil reservoir of the journal box and having their upper ends contoured to embrace and contact the lower periphery of the axle.

3. A lubricant feeding unit for journal boxes, comprising, in combination, front and rear filler members of hard rubber and an intermediate section including a plurality of sponge rubber slabs having mating interlocking formations on related sides thereof and also having lateral projections for engaging the side walls of the journal boxes.

4. A lubricant feeding unit for journal boxes, comprising, in combination, front and rear filler members of hard rubber and an intermediate oil feeding section of sponge rubber, said intermediate section including a plurality of individual sponge rubber slabs each having on opposite faces thereof a groove and a rib for mating with similar formations on an adjacent slab, said slabs also having lateral projections on opposite ends for engaging with the inner faces of the walls of the journal box.

5. A lubricating unit, comprising, in combination, a journal box, front and rear filler members disposed in abutting relation to the inner portions of the front and rear walls of the journal box and providing a space therebetween, and an oil feeding element held in said space, said element including a plurality of individual sponge rubber oil feeding sections arranged vertically and transversely of the journal box, and means for holding said sections in juxtaposed facing relation with respect to the longitudinal axis of the box and with their edges directed to the sides of the box.

6. A lubricating unit according to claim 5, wherein, the individual sponge rubber oil feeding sections are provided with substantially U- shaped metal clips fitted upwardly over the bottom ends thereof, and the means for holding said sections in juxtaposed facing relation with respect to the longitudinal axis of the box and with their edges directed to the sides of the box includes interlocking formations on the opposite faces of said clips for engaging with mating interlocking formations on adjacent clips, said clips also serving to space the individual sections at their upper axle journal engaging ends to provide sediment escape channels therebetween.

'7. A lubricating unit according to claim 5, wherein, the individual sponge rubber sections are provided with substantially U-shaped metal clips fitted upwardly over the bottom ends thereof, and the means for holding said sections in juxtaposed facing relation with respect to the longitudinal axis of the box and with their edges directed to the sides of the box includes interlocking formations on the opposite faces of said clips for engaging with mating interlocking formations on adjacent clips, said clips also serving to space the individual sections at their upper axle journal engaging ends to provide sediment escape channels therebetweemsaid sections having lateral projections at their upper ends for engaging the inner faces of the walls of the journal box and the portions of the sections which embrace the lower periphery of the axle journal are provided with a diagonal sediment draining groove.

8. A lubricating unit according to claim 5, wherein, the means for holding said sections in juxtaposed facing relation with respect to the longitudinal axis of the box and with their edges directed to the sides of the box comprises, a section carrier disposed between and engaging said filler members.

9. A lubricating unit according to claim 5, wherein, the means for holding said sections in juxtaposed facing relation with respect to the longitudinal axis of the box and with their edges directed to the sides of the box comprises, a section carrier having end portions interfitting with and abutting against said filler members.

10. A lubricating unit according to claim 5, wherein, the front and rear filler members have slots opening at their inwardly facing sides, and each individual sponge rubber oil feeding section has a downwardly opening slot, and the means for holding said sections in juxtaposed facing relation with respect to the longitudinal axis of the box and with their edges directed to the sides of the box comprises, a section carrier having a central upstanding rib to fit in the slots of the aligned sections and also has laterally extending flanges for engaging the bottom of the journal box and supporting the bottom portions of the sections, said rib having its terminal portions extending into said slots of the filler memhere.

11. A lubricating unit according to claim 5, wherein, the means for holding said sections in juxtaposed facing relation with respect to the longitudinal axis of thebox and with their edges directed to the sides of the box comprises, a section carrier having end portions engaging with the upper sides of the filler members.

12. A lubricating unit according to claim 5, wherein, the means for holding said sections in juxtaposed facing relation with respect to the longitudinal axis of the box and with their edges directed to the sides of the box comprises, a section carrier for said sections and having its ends resting on the top surfaces of the filler members, and a continuous pad juxtaposed to the top portions of the sections and engaging the lower periphery of the journal box.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 2,138,971 Keeler et a1. Dec. 6, 1938 2,157,626 Penniman May 9, 1939 

